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STEUBENVILLE -- C.H.A.N.G.E. Inc. is going to stop delivering babies due to a doctor shortage, but Trinity Health System is stepping in to fill the system void that withdrawal will create
Judy Raveaux, C.H.A.N.G.E. CEO, said the family medical care team will continue to provide prenatal services up to 28 weeks, but after that they’ll be transitioned to Trinity’s new women’s services team.
Trinity is already assembling a team of physicians, advanced practice nurses and support personnel to staff its new integrated obstetrics and gynecology practice, set to begin providing services July 1.
Trinity CEO Matt Grimshaw said it won’t be easy, “but we believe it’s vital to the health and safety” of the community. He said their goal is “to transform the delivery of care and tailor the health care needs of each patient to improve outcomes and the healing process.”
“We recognize that there is some uncertainty in our region with other health care providers,” he added. “This decision reinforces our faithfulness in providing access to the care that is needed. The development of this dedicated women’s program within the Trinity Health System ministry will close any perceived gap in the provision of care for the women in our community.”
Grimshaw said adapting services “is the only real way to meet the community’s needs,” pointing out C.H.A.N.G.E.’s team of OB/GYNs had been delivering more than 500 babies a year.
“We concluded we definitely had to stay in the service line, and the best way to do that was to establish that practice as an extension of the rest of our clinic services,” he said. “We’re excited about what it means long-term.”
Raveaux said her organization really had no choice to make this move-- two of its five providers will be gone by the end of June and the “emotional and physical drain” on the three remaining doctors would have been untenable, given the number of patients they see and the deliveries they’ve been handling when there were five providers on call.
“We delivered 580 babies last year on five providers,” she said. “You can imagine that same patient load (spread among three providers) -- you can’t do it.
“We not only have to do what is best for our patients, but we have to consider the quality of life for our providers,” she added.
Raveaux said Trinity’s commitment to opening a women’s health division “will help in recruiting additional OB/GYN providers to the area to combat the shortage.” She also said patients are already being notified of the change and how it might impact them.
“Before, our doctors would deliver the baby,” Raveaux said. “But, due to the provider shortage, we just don’t have the doctors to deliver the babies anymore. Looking forward, we need to let people know we cannot deliver babies” but will continue to provide the same prenatal services they always have received.
“We have every intention to continue to provide prenatal care up to 28 weeks for our existing patients, and then work with the patient to transition their care for delivery,” she added. “As we move forward, we will be accepting new OB patients, but for the time being we are limiting our appointment slots through the transition period for our agency.”
Grimshaw said Trinity will work closely with C.H.A.N.G.E.’s medical team “and continue to provide excellent care.”
“We’re confident in the long run, this will be a positive for the community and for both of us to continue to collaborate care for our patients.”
Jim Middleton, Trinity’s chief nursing officer, said the hospital’s birth center staff is made up of some of the most experienced labor and delivery nurses in the area, pointing out they “are passionate and devoted to the women and families they serve.”
Grimshaw admits he’s confident.
“It will be a challenge, it may be expensive,” he said. “But we are committed to this service line and to our patients and the families we serve. We have to continue to have an option for quality womens’ services on the Ohio side of this market.”